Non-Discrimination

On November 8, 2005, after nearly three decades of working to pass non-discrimination protections for LGBT Mainers, Maine became the 16th state to protect LGBT people from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity and expression in employment, housing, education, credit and public accommodations. Maine is the sixth state whose law includes gender identity and expression. These protections were enacted by amending the Maine Human Rights Act.

Similar bills had been vetoed in 1993 and repealed by referendum in 1998 and 2000. EqualityMaine worked with Maine Won't Discriminate to win a resounding victory against the 2005 people's veto, as Maine voters upheld the non-discrimination law by a margin of more than 10 percent. Our EqualityKnocks voter ID and grassroots organizing program, launched in 2004, helped reach thousands of voters during the successful 2005 campaign.